Linda White

Assistant Professor of Japanese Studies

Courses

Course List:

Courses offered in the past four years. ▲indicates offered in the current term▹indicates offered in the upcoming term[s]

FYSE 1210 - Global Japanese Culture

Global Japanese Culture
In this seminar we will examine the construction of Japanese cultural identity as products, ideas and people move across the borders in and out of Japan. Social scientists have been particularly interested in the appropriation of non-Japanese practices and products in Japan, as well as, the great success of some of Japan’s cultural and consumer products from Toyotas to Pokemon in the global marketplace. We will examine the issues of cultural hybridity, identity, and globalization using text such as Millennial Monsters, Remade in Japan, and Japan after Japan. 3 hrs. sem. AAL CW SOC

JAPN 0110 / SOAN 0110 - Current Social Issues in Japan
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Current Social Issues in Japan (in English)
In this course we will use ethnography, fiction, and historical studies to examine some of the underlying themes of Japanese culture. Japan is a highly developed, post-industrial society renowned across the globe for economic success in the post-World War II period. What historical and social factors have shaped Japan’s contemporary culture, and how have interactions with other countries influenced Japanese society? We will study a number of different spheres of Japanese life including the family and the workplace to better understand contemporary society. We will pay special attention to Japan’s global position and its relationship to the United States. 3 hr. lect./disc. AAL SOC

JAPN 0230 / SOAN 0230 - Rethinking the Body in Japan
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Rethinking the Body in Contemporary Japan (In English)
In this course we will examine attitudes toward and tensions related to the human body in Japan. Looking at art, music, style, and social issues we will examine the symbolic as well as material concerns of bodies in contemporary Japan. Religious, historical, martial, and aesthetic understandings of bodies will be addressed. We will analyze Japan's current attitudes toward organ transplantation, treatment of the deceased, plastic surgery, surrogacy, sex change surgery and other embodied practices. Readings will include Twice Dead and Commodifying Bodies. 3 hrs. lect./disc. AAL SOC

JAPN 0245 / GSFS 0245 / WAGS 0245 - Women's Activism in Japan

Josei Undo: Women’s Activism in Contemporary Japan (in English)
In this course we will critically evaluate Japanese feminism since the late nineteenth century. We will focus on the following themes within Japanese feminism, namely, the structure of work and family life, the relationship between the state, women, and the military, and the politics of reproduction and women's bodies. In addition, we will consider the role of feminism in Japanese society and the connections between global feminisms and Japanese local political struggles. This course will help students develop a deeper understanding of Japanese society and the position of women in society. It will also help students contextualize gender relations and feminist activism cross culturally. 3 hr. lect./disc. AAL SOC

JAPN 0250 / GSFS 0250 / WAGS 0250 - Gender In Japan
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Gender in Japan (in English)
In this course we will examine changing ideas about gender and sexuality in Japan in the 10th through 20th centuries, with special attention to the modern period. Sources will include literary texts, films, and social/historical studies. We will discuss topics, including women's writing in classical Japan; the commercialization of sexuality in the 18th century; ideas of "homosexuality" in late-medieval and modern times; and women's social roles and political struggles in the 20th century. 3 hr. lect./disc. AAL LIT

JAPN 0330 / SOAN 0330 - Global Japanese Culture
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Global Japanese Culture (in English)
In this course we will examine the transformation of Japanese cultural identity (Japanese-ness) as products, ideas, and people move across the borders in and out of Japan. Social scientists have been particularly interested in the Japanizing of non-Japanese practices and products such as hip hop and hamburgers, as well as the popularity of Japanese styles and products on the global scene. We will take an anthropological approach using texts such as Millennial Monsters, Remade in Japan, and Hip Hop Japan to examine the issues of cultural hybridity, identity, and globalization. 3 hrs. lect./disc. AAL SOC

JAPN 0500 - Independent Project
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Qualified students may be permitted to undertake a special project in reading and research under the direction of a member of the department. Students should seek an advisor and submit a proposal to the department well in advance of registration for the term in which the work is to be undertaken.